There have been all types of protected barrier openings (or gates), used throughout history. Most gates can be categorized as having one of two common types of movement to clear the path which they protect. These movements are typically either a sliding motion or a swinging motion along a path that is parallel to the ground. In either case, the motion is most often initiated and sustained by some type of human or other mechanical force.
Once in motion, a swing-style gate will pivot, generally parallel to the ground, around a single fixed point to which it is hinged. A sliding gate will slide along a prescribed path, also generally parallel to the ground, guided with the aid of a rail or roller system to which it is attached. Both systems can be employed in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, however, in outside applications each system may experience some difficulties maneuvering around, over, or through certain elements.
Long grass or deep snow, for instance, can impede the path of either a swing-type or sliding-type gate, making it difficult or impossible to operate the gate under such conditions. The presence of these elements or other obstacles can also restrict how close a bottom of the gate can be arranged with respect to the ground, which can result in leaving an area below the barrier open or exposed.
Another difficulty that can be encountered with these movement styles for gates is in the topography of the land surrounding the barrier. The barrier may, for instance, be located at the base of incline where a swing-motion gate would hit the ground in one direction before achieving an open position. On the other hand, a swing-style barrier located at the top of a decline would experience an increase in distance between the gate and the ground when operated toward the decline, making it awkward for a user to operate.
For a sliding gate, the topography must be substantially level along the area of the protected opening and the area where the gate must slide. Some installation conditions do not allow for such a setup and must therefore be modified to accommodate the barrier. This can significantly increase the installation costs.
In a manual application, another issue with these opening styles is the range over which a person must apply and maintain force in order to fully open or close the gate. For both motions, the manual operator (person), must frequently move along almost the entire distance of the opening in the barrier that the gate covers in order to maintain adequate force throughout the opening or closing procedure.
These and other issues make it desirable to find a way to move a gate from a protected barrier opening in such a way that snow, grass, land topography, or other obstacles would not affect the motion of the gate. It would also be desirable to have a gate style that would decrease the range of motion and the amount of force needed for a manual operator to open or close the gate. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.